Convertible chair



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l*CONVERTIBLE CHAIR Filed June 24, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sum/Ms PatentedJune 5, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.317.649 CONVERTIBLE cnamNorman T. Quinney, Miami, Fla.

Application :une 24, 194s, semi No. 492,113

s claims. (c1. s-2s) This invention relates to a convertible mobilechair, and has for the primary object the provision of a device oi thischaracter which will be extremely durable and may be easily and quicklyI adjusted to assume a straight chair position, a

reclining chair position and a bed-forming position and when in thelatter-named position may have such parts as the foot rest. arm restsand guard rails folded out-of-the-way so that an invalid person may beslid thereon from a bed or returned to the bed in a like manner with theleast amount of disturbance to said person and with the least amount ofexertion on the `part of the person or persons carrying out thetransferring of the invalid person.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which.

Figure 1 is a sideelevation illustrating a convertible chair constructedin accordance with my invention.

Figurel 2 is a side elevation illustrating the device converted intobed-forming position.

Figurer3 is a top plan view illustrating the device while in bed-formingposition.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view, partly in section, illustrating thedevice while in bed-forming position.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the liie 5-5 of Figure2. Y

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view illustrating the foot rest in anoperative position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the foot restin a foldedposition.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a portion of thesupporting structure and the wheels in operative position to render thedevice mobile.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating one of the wheelsand its connection with a leg of the supporting structure.

Figure l0 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the means ofreleasably securing the wheel in an operative position.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of theadjusting arms and its roller connected either to the back rest or theleg rest.

Figure i3 is a perspective view illustrating one of the leg braces.

Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view showingthe mounting of one of the arm rests.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the positionsthat can be occupied by one of the guard rails on the back rest.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of theoperating levers and its securing means.

Figure 17 is a perspective view illustrating a tray which may be mountedon the arm rest.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modiiled formof my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a chairseat frame, 6 a chair back frame and 1 a leg rest frame. Said frames areconnected by hinges 8 which will permit the chair back frame and the legrest frame 1 to swing relative to the chair seat frame and the latter`is mounted on a supporting structure 9 consisting of legs I0 connectedby braces I I, a pair of which has journaled thereon a shaft I2 formingpart of an operating means. The legs are arranged in front and rearpairs and are preferably constructed of tubular stock and the rear pairof legs has a curvature thereto so that the lower ends will be disposedrearwardly of the upper ends.

The frames 5, 6 and 'l are constructed of T iron stock providing theretosupporting ilanges I3 and retaining iianges I4. Connected to thesupporting ilanges I3 are spring constructions I5 each preferablyconstructed of interwoven wire elements having their ends connected tothe supporting anges by coil springs I8.

Mounted on the spring constructions and within the retaining flanges I4are cushions II preferably of the inner spring type, as shown in Figures5 and 12. The cushions rest within the retaining flanges and thereby areprevented from shifting or becoming disarranged on the frames. However,the cushions may be easily removed for cleaning and other purposes andprotrude suillciently beyond the retaining flanges to render theconvertible chair extremely comfortable to the user as well aspresenting a neat appearance thereto.

The legs III include removable lowerI end sections I8 releasably securedin place by set screws I9 and have pivoted thereto arms 20 formed onheads 2| journaled on stems 22 of pilot type wheels 23. The heads 2I aresocketed to receive spring influenced plungers 24 slidable in theremovable endsections I 8 of the legs. The

plungers are equipped with linger pieces operating in bayonet slots 26formed in the end sections I8 whereby the plungers 24 may be manuallyretracted to disengage from the heads 2l so that the wheels 23 may beswung relative to the legs or to assume inoperative positions, as shownin Figures l and 2, supported on the braces by hooks 21. When the wheelsare in operative position the device is rendered mobile so that it canbe conveniently wheeled from one place to ancharacter 28 they may swivelrelative to the legs and include shanks 28 that enter the legs andreceive the set screws I3.

As before stated, the frames 8 and 1 may swing relative to the frame 5.The purpose of this is to form a straight chair, as shown in Figure 1,or an inclining chair wherein the back rest is tilted rearwardly and theleg rest upwardly or the back rest as well as the leg rest may bebrought into substantially the same plane with the seat of the chair forthe purpose of forming a bed.

To support the back rest and leg rest in horizontal position, legs 30are provided and each is of telescopic sections, the -sections beingadjustably secured together by set screws 3l. The legs 3|! are pivotallyconnected tothe frames 6 and 'I and braces 32 of the folding type areprovided between the legs 30 and the frames 6 and 1 to sustain the legsin operative position. 'I'he frames may be readily collapsed to permitfolding of the legs-30 into the frames 8 and 1.

Each brace 32 includes a pair of sections hingedly connected, as shownat 33, and one section carries a removable pin 34 which may be passedthrough the other sections to prevent collapsing of the brace. It ispreferable that the pin 34 be anchored by a flexible element 35 toprevent its loss.

To prevent the legs 30 from moving out of the frames 6 and 1, springinfluenced slidably mounted locking rods 38 enter the free ends of saidlegs 30 and are carried by brackets 31 provided on the frames 6 and 1.The rods are provided with handle portions 38 operating through slots inthe frames 6 and 1 whereby they may be manually retracted out ofengagement with the legs when desiring to free the latter for movementinto operative position.

An operating means for the simultaneous actuation of the back rest andleg rest is provided and may be conveniently operated by a personoccupying the seat or by anyone else standing at either side of thedevice. The operating means includes front and rear bell crank levers 40and 4I pivotally mounted on the legs I0 and each at one end thereof isprovided with a roller 42 secured thereto by a pintle 43 and on whichthe roller rotates.

The frames 6 and 1 are equipped with angle iron plates 44 and saidplates and said frames 8 and 1 are provided with aligning slots toslidably receive the pintles 43 for guiding the movement of the bellcrank levers and permitting the rollers to roll in contact with theframes 8 and 1. The other ends of the bell crank levers 40 and 4| havingpivotally connected thereto connecting links 45 which are in turnpivotally connected to operating levers 48 secured on the shaft I2. Theoperating levers at their free ends are provided with hand grips 41located at opposite sides of the seat frame and adjacent thereto andslightly below the cushion oi the seat frame. 'I'he operating levers 46are provided with slotted enlargements 48 which slidably receivearcuately curved racks 43 secured on the seat frame 5 by brackets 50.The racks are provided with double rows of teeth 5I engageable by forkeddetents 52 slidably mounted on the hand levers and spring influenced, asshown at 53. The detents are provided with hand grips 54 located withinthe hand grips 41 so that the person actuating the levers may easilydisconnect the detents from the rack bars to free the levers for pivotalmovement in the adjustment of the back and leg rests simultaneously.

comparatively narrow rigid shelves 55 are secured on the sides of theseat frame 1 adjacent the lower edges of said frame and are providedwith slots through which the operating levers 46 freely move.

Resilient type arms 56 are hinged on the shelves, as shown at 51, andhave connected thereto plates forming arm rests 58. The arms 56 eachincludes an arcuately curved portion and a straight portion extending atright angles thereto and which may be brought to rest on the shelf forsupporting the arm rest in an operative position in the plane above theseat. The arms 56 being hinged will permit the arm rests 58 to be swungdownwardly into dotted line position, as shown inFigure 2, so as to beout of the way and to permit a person to be slid on and oil of the seatfrom either side thereof. When the arm rests 58 are in operativeposition, lugs 58 extend through openings in the shelves and may beengaged by spring influenced -plungers 6U slidably mounted on the underfaces of the shelves. The lugs 58 are apertured to receive the spring 40iniluenced plungers. The plungers of each shelf are connected to links6ly which are in turn eccentrically pivoted on a disc 6I'. The discs 6I'are secured to shafts journaled in the shelves and provided with fingerpieces 62 whereby the plungers GII may be retracted for freeing the armsto allow the arm rests to be swung downwardly out of the way. It will beseen that when the arm rests are in operative position, they areprevented from accidentally moving out of said po` sition by thelatching mechanism of which the spring influenced plungers form a part.

Guard rails 86 are provided for the back rest and are principally usedwhen the device is in bedforming position and each is of substantially Ushape having hook shaped ends 61. The hook shaped ends of the guardrails engage with eyes 38 on the frame 6. To releasably secure the guardrails in operative position, clamps 33 are provided and are carried bythe frame 8.

When the device is ln use as a bed and it is desired to slide a personthereon. the guard rail upon one side may be lowered as well as the armrest. This permits the device to be arranged in close proximity to a bedon which the person is lying. The person may be moved oi! oi' the deviceonto the bed in a like manner.

A combined head and knee rest 1II is provided and may be arranged on theback rest, as shown in Figure 2, when the device is in bed-formingposition and retained in position by hooks 1I engaging lugs on the frameI, or the device may be secured between the seat frame and leg framewhen the latter is in a depending position to underlie the knees of thelegs of the person occupying the chair. thehooks1l being employed tosecure the combined head and knee rest in position by engaging lugs 12on the frames li and 1.

The free end of the leg rest is equipped with a foldable foot rest 13which may be arranged in an operative position when the leg rest is in adepending position so that the person may rest the feet thereon. Thefoot rest 13 includes chan nel brackets 14 to which are hinged arms 15carrying a foot engaging plate 16. The arms 15 are provided with slots11 to receive turnbuckles 1l carried by the brackets 14 to retain theplate 1l in an inoperative position. To retain the plate 16 in anoperative position, it is provided with a slot 19 to receive va turnbuckle 80 on the lower end of the leg rest.

A tray Il may be removably mounted on the arm rests 58 and is located soas to extend across the lap of the person occupying the chair. The trayincludes legs 82 which enter sockets provided in the rest 58 whereby thetray will be supported in a plane above said arm rests 58 and across thelap of a person and permit the tray to be easily removed when desired. l

An ash tray 83 is removably mounted on one of the arm rests. The ashtray 83 may be swung into diierent positions owing to its connectionwith the arm rest.

Hand grips 85 may be provided on the end of the frame 1.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will be seen that a durable mobile type of convertible chairhas been provided and the construction is such that it may be easilyadjusted to provide a straight chair, an inclined chair or a bed, andwhen adjusted into a bed it may be arranged alongside of a bed in whicha person is lying so that the person may be easily slid onto the deviceand returned to the bed in a like manner. A device of the kind describedwill be found to be extremely useful in hospitals and like places aswell as for home use.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a convertible chair, a longitudinal intermediate frame, end frameshingedly connected to the intermediate frame, cushions carried by theframes, legs supporting the intermediate frame, bell crank leverspivoted on the legs and one ot said bell crank levers slidably connectedto one of the end frames and the other bell crank lever slidablyconnected to the other end frame, roldable legs pivoted to the endframes for supporting the latter horizontally and in a. plane with 'theintermediate trame, braces connecting the iirst named legs, an operatinglever pivotally supported on the braces; and means connecting theoperating lever to the bell crank levers for the simultaneous swingingof the end frames upwardly and downwardly relative to the intermediateframe.

2. In a convertible chair, a horizontal intermediate frame, end frameshingedly connected to the intermediate frame, cushions carried by theframes, said end frames each including pairs o! spaced depending wallswith the walls of each pair provided with aligned slots, legs supportingthe intermediate frame, bell crank levers pivoted on said legs andextending freely between the depending walls of the intermediate frame,pins carried by the bell crank levers and extending into the slots ofthe depending walls, rollers journaled on said pins andriding againstthe end frames between the depending pairs of walls thereof, foldablelegs pivoted to the end frames for supporting the latter horizontally inthe same plane with the intermediate frame, braces connecting the ilrstmentioned legs, an operating lever pivotally mounted on the braces, andmeans connecting the operating lever to the bell crank levers for thesimultaneous swinging oi the end frames upwardly and downwardly relativeto the intermediate frame.

3. In a convertible chair, a horizontal intermediate frame, end trameshinged to the intermediate frame, cushions carried by the frames, legssupporting the intermediate frame, bell crank levers pivoted o'n thelegs and one of the bell crank levers slidably connected to one of theend :frames and the other bell crank lever slidably connected to theother end frame, foldable legs pivcted to the end frames for supportingthe latter horizontally, braces connecting the tlrst mentioned legs, acurved rack bar carried by the intermediate frame and including a doublerow of rack teeth, an operating lever pivotally mounted on the bracesand having a slotted portion slidably receiving the rack bar, meansconnecting the operating lever to the bell crank levers for thesimultaneous swinging of the end frames upwardly and downwardly relativeto the intermediate frame, and a birurcated detent carried by theoperating lever to engage with the double row of teeth of NORMAN T.QUINNEY.

` the rack bar.

